Liverpool are signing young Dutch talent instead.
Matthijs de Ligt to Liverpool? Forget it. Liverpool are about to sign the next De Ligt instead.
The Telegraph report the Reds have agreed a deal with PEC Zwolle to sign 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg, beating Ajax to his signature.
Liverpool have high hopes for the young centre-back, who will become their first signing of the summer.
And in one way, it makes a real statement.
Liverpool had been advised and tipped to make a move for Ajax sensation De Ligt by pundits [via ESPN], but The Express reported that the defender’s financial demands were too much for the Reds.
As one of the richest clubs in the world, and status as Champions League winner, it would have been viable for Liverpool to splash out on De Ligt.
The club simply decided the combination of transfer fee and wages was not worth the expenditure.
And in moving for Van den Berg, Liverpool have shown where their priorities lie.
Considering the club’s defensive options at present, Liverpool don’t need to break the bank.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip combined for the best defence in the Premier League.
De Ligt particularly would hurt Gomez’s development.
It means Liverpool don’t need to pay big for a first team defender, and can focus on taking cheaper punts on youth talent instead.
Van den Berg is a bright talent, and underlines Liverpool’s transfer market strategy.
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